Chiefs’ decision to release Routt baffles his agent
By RANDY COVITZ
The Kansas City Star

Vann McElroy, agent for former Chiefs cornerback Stanford Routt, was as mystified as anyone concerning the release of his client on Monday.

“I’m still trying to figure it out,” McElroy said on Tuesday. “It’s a weird situation.”

Routt, signed as a free agent during the offseason as the replacement for Brandon Carr, started the first seven games before missing last Thursday night’s game at San Diego for what the Chiefs listed as a hamstring injury.

Though he was often targeted by the opposition and surrendered several touchdown passes, he also had two interceptions, tied for the team lead.

“I know they’re 1-7, and they’re looking for reasons … I have no clue what happened,” said McElroy. “I’ve got a call in to Scott (Pioli). I talked to Stanford, and he’s about as surprised and shocked and down as one can be. He doesn’t totally understand it either.”

Chiefs coach Romeo Crennel said the decision to release Routt was based on reasons such as the “relationship wasn’t progressing as quickly or as fast as I wanted to” and “the transition was taking a little bit longer than I thought it was going to take, so we just felt like it was time to part ways.”

Routt, 29, received a $4.2 million signing bonus and as a vested veteran who made the opening-day roster, he will still receive all of his $1.8 million salary, even if he’s not claimed by another team.

“You pay a guy $5 million … and really, from his coverage standpoint, he’s played really well,” McElroy said. “He’s had three plays that weren’t good … but one of them (at Tampa Bay), he had the guy covered on the fade, and the guy jumped over his head and made a ridiculous catch. You can’t have a guy covered any better than that.

“This was about as random in my 30 years as it gets. We’ll see if he gets claimed on waivers. I’ve had a couple of texts from teams. It would be a wise claim for someone, because they’re not getting into guaranteed money.”
Posted on Tue, Nov. 06, 2012 10:59 AM

IRVING, Texas -- Only one Cowboys player had more defensive snaps in Sunday's game against Tampa Bay than the 57 Brandon Carr picked up at cornerback/free safety. Inside linebacker Sean Lee played 60 snaps.

Carr started the game at free safety, a move made last week in practice in anticipation of the expected deep throws Tampa Bay was going to attempt and an injury to free safety Gerald Sensabaugh.

And when strong safety Fece Church was lost in the second half to a season-ending Achilles injury, Carr's time at safety was just as valuable.

Carr said he hasn't spoken to the coaches about a full-time spot at safety, but his openness about moving was considered invaluable for a team in desperate need for secondary help.
Carr said he would play the position again if needed against the Chicago Bears on Monday night at Cowboys Stadium.

"It's still an ongoing discussion, I guess," Carr said Monday at Valley Ranch. "I just told them where they need me, duty calls and I'll be available. I'm going to try my best to get the job done and it's still early in the week."

Moving Carr to free safety was an interesting decision, but it backed up what defensive coordinator Rob Ryan said to team owner/general manager Jerry Jones this summer: He planned on getting Mike Jenkins onto the field at cornerback. Carr's size -- 6-foot, 210 pounds -- and coverage skills give him the ability to make plays deep and close to the line of scrimmage by jamming receivers. While Jenkins played well against Tampa Bay in his second game back from offseason shoulder surgery, prompting coach Jason Garrett to say Jenkins played with a smile on his face, Carr was just as effective.

He had one pass breakup in the game but his coverage on various receivers including Vincent Jackson, Tampa's big play threat, didn't go unnoticed.

"I don't find it odd, it's all about the team right now," Carr said. "I feel like we got corners behind me that can get the job done. We have four corners that can play with any team in the NFL right now, and for us to be on the field at the same time and matchup and do good things and give teams different, we can be a handful (on) other teams."

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